Adopt-a-Drain: Using strategies from marketing and psychology to engage homeowners in water protection

Adopt-a-Drain, a pilot program created by Hamline University with support from the City of Saint Paul and Capitol Region Watershed District, is successfully engaging residents in water protection activities. The program was developed using principles from psychology and marketing, and revised using community focus group feedback. Residents sign up online to adopt a storm drain, display a sign in their yard, and act as clean water ambassadors in their neighborhood. During the first year, 120 residents participated and diverted approximately 7000 pounds of debris from storm drains.The presenter will outline concepts from psychology and marketing used to create Adopt-a-Drain, results of focus groups with local residents, lessons learned during implementation in three neighborhoods in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and insights into the combined use of traditional and social media strategies for environmental communication.